‘Mary Poppins' -- hybrid of books, film -- filled with surprises

By Katie Leslie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"You're not Mary Poppins. You're blond!" said an incredulous Cincinnati woman after waiting by the stage door for Caroline Sheen, the actress currently playing the world's most beloved nanny in a national tour.

Sheen, a mezzo-soprano born in Wales, politely explained that she wore a brunette wig for the role. She also wondered if the autograph-seeker had seen the original Mary, a famous blonde by the name of Julie Andrews.

But the disbelieving fan, perhaps worried she was being duped with an extra, pressed again: "Sing for us to prove you are really Mary Poppins."

You can bet that didn't happen, though Sheen surely signed autographs for the skeptic before flying on her "Mary" way to Atlanta, where she will perform the title role Thursday through May 16 at the Fox Theatre.

The encounter underscores what many theater-goers are learning in this adaptation of P.L. Travers' beloved books made famous in Disney's 1964 film: This "Mary Poppins" is filled with surprises.

In the movie, Poppins may be known for her cheery, witty charm; but in the stage version, her personality is as varied as the human condition allows. From show to show, her mood may swing from mischievous to vain, edgy to comedic, to kind -- whatever strikes Sheen as right for the night, she said.

"If I hear a lot of children in the audience, I may want to be nicer," Sheen said in a recent interview en route to Atlanta. "She’s an evolving beast."

That evolution of Poppins applies to more than her personality, said Poppins producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, among the most successful in theater history. Mackintosh partnered with powerhouse Disney to bring the show to stage in 2004, though the legwork began decades before.

While the Tony Award-winning stage production uses much of Richard and Robert Sherman's original music, some of the most cherished tunes are set in scenes other than those in which they occur in the film. The audience also is introduced to new music written by duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

"The meaning was always there in the lyrics and music, and now we’ve placed them in more dramatic structure and they have more power," said Mackintosh, who has produced such mega-hits as "Phantom of the Opera," "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon."

"To be honest, I don’t think most of the audiences realize how much we’ve added, which is the best possible solution," he said.

Mackintosh wasn't interested in a stage show ripped from the film, he said. And neither was the late Travers, who finally relinquished the stage rights to Mackintosh when she was in her 90s and after much wrangling over creative direction, he said.

"[Travers] did want the musical done, but for 30 years, she kept Disney at bay ... It was widely known she wasn’t wild about the movie, though I suspect she loved the movie more than she let on because she kept going back to see it," Mackintosh said. "I had no wish myself to do a stage show that didn’t encompass the heart of the score … and I didn’t think the public would want to see it anyway."

And thus, Travers relented and sold the rights, opening the door for Disney and Mackintosh to do what had long seemed the impossible -- create a musical hybrid of Mary Poppins from the books and the film and bring the flying nanny to the main stage.

Since opening in the United Kingdom in 2004, "Poppins" has taken flight on Broadway, in national tours, in Holland and soon Australia, with more countries not far behind, said co-producer Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Group based in New York.

On its face, the tale of a early 20th-century English nanny could seem antiquated, but Schumacher said he was personally shocked to discover decidedly modern themes in the script.

"What has been interesting is how contemporary the show feels. When we opened this tour that’s coming to Atlanta … the audience was gasping because they just couldn't believe it was addressing issues we face today, like crisis in banking, issues of employment …  taking care of yourself and the fundamentals of raising your kids," he said. "I think people were surprised at how fresh it feels."

Theater preview

“Mary Poppins”

Today through May 16. $26.85-$142.75. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-881-2100, www.foxtheatre.org .